Meet Charlie T Thomas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie T Thomas.

Charlie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m one of those “majored in one thing originally, then ended up a theater major” kids. I loved the feeling of being on stage AND living many different lives. I also loved the sense of family that comes with theater. So, I spent the majority of my college career doing that, and then several years of community theater afterwards.

A few years back, I decided to move to Atlanta and start my professional acting career. The first YEAR was fruitless–I had three auditions, all of which were less than stellar. A friend of mine visited the Atlanta Shakespeare Company with me and others, and I saw they had an apprenticeship. A program like that never crossed my mind–I was 33 for crying out loud, that’s for post-college students! I had tried for AN ENTIRE year and through several unfortunate circumstances, started believing I might not be cut out for the profession. But I applied, just to see, and ended up working in the program the following season. I’ve been with them for two and a half years now. I’m so grateful for the work they gave me. The Tavern family breathed in me new hope for my career. It’s insane to see how far I’ve come over time!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
So, when I was younger, I had this speech impediment. I couldn’t form full sentences. It would come out like this jumbled language, and it took most of my elementary school career to work through. Eventually, I managed, but it’s something that still comes out now and again. My ear can hear a word and understand the sound of it, but my mouth won’t always follow. So, it’s a struggle–especially Shakespeare. I drill words constantly–it’s the one thing I have to be on my toes about. A lot of my personal rehearsal time revolves around that.

I also deal with manic depression, which comes into play now and again. Some phases I have this burst of energy and I want to do all the things, and other days I’ll miss important auditions all together, never leaving the bedroom. I’ve had to become real cognizant of emotional triggers and learn how to work around them so I can consistently work with opportunities given.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
So, I’m mostly an actor. But I work on a lot of side projects on the side. I’m hosting a cabaret at the Atlanta Shakespeare company next month with a lot of local talent participating in it. I write in my spare time–I’m currently working on a musical that I hope to submit to festivals in the next couple of months. I also film short encouragement videos on Instagram, which I love. I just started research on a food blog, so that’ll be the next venture.

I think one thing that I do is spend my time encouraging others with my social media presence. Because of my experience with mental struggles, I am constantly aware of how many fellow artists deal with battles in the mind and heart. It’s a hard career–constantly hustling, constantly feeling rejected, constantly comparing yourself to other artists. So, I make it a point to reach out and remind others of their value in life, regardless of their circumstances. I don’t know how many people I reach with it, but if it helps one, I’ve done enough.

For me, I love loving the artists in this city. It such a talented, diverse melting pot and many members of the community feel like family to me. Its so great to go to these shows and events and performances and see faces of those you’ve trained with, studied with, and I obsess over cheering them on as much as possible.

What were you like growing up?
I was a hyper kid, while still being very much an introvert. A bit flamboyant and laughing a lot. I was a BIG hugger as well.

I’ve always been interested in creating, from an early age. When I was younger, I would make elaborate board games for me and my siblings, using cereal action figures as pieces and we’d spend hours on that. I made comic books for a while as well. When I got to middle school, writing really started to be an interest. I wrote several books of poetry, submitted in some contests here and there. In high school, I discovered playwriting and children’s books, so I have several works from both of those genres as well.

I’ve always been curious about what makes art. What sparks the interest? How does it reach people? How can it bring joy to the people around you? Trying out different mediums I guess is how I answer those questions.